Collaboration and freelancing don’t seem to resonate together. It is about time that we should change this notion. Your agency may have reservations about hiring freelancers in the past, but it is no longer working. So, the change of heart, probably you now have an amazing team of talented freelancers working on projects by collaborating with you.
Be it a copywriter or a designer, some freelancers may limit themselves to a few tasks, but the struggle to reach out to more clients further intrigues the demand for more workforce to deliver on time.
As an agency and freelancer, you will always be searching for different talents, which is when collaboration with freelancers comes in handy for both of you.
However, collaboration among freelancers is quite challenging as you have to build trust and establish long-lasting relationships with many freelancers at a time.
Why is the collaboration of freelancers significant? How can you manage smooth collaboration among them? You ask…
Let’s find it out together…
Why is a Collaboration among Freelancers Important?
As an agency having a remote team of freelancers is effective, but if they lack basic communication grounds, the project may face a huge failure. The designer needs to understand the perspective of a writer and the writer needs to know the use and purpose of the content. Even if you add more skills, everyone needs to collaborate for successful results.
Agencies are not working on a single project, and therefore, they always need multiple expertise for different kinds of projects. Companies have been dependent on the office staff for hundreds of years, and hiring freelancers were not quite promising for everyone.
Recruiting freelancers used to be seen as a barrier to company activities.
Why recruit someone who works remotely part-time when you can have someone in the office every day? Unfortunately, organizations are losing a lot of talent due to this mindset.
However, the mindset is changing. Besides, various collaboration tools are available, making communication easy regardless of location.
How do We have Effective Collaboration among Freelancers?
Thanks to easy team collaboration tools, freelancers can quickly become a vital part of the business, which leads to increased production across the board. Video conferencing and other collaboration tools provide a better working environment for both freelancers and employees, maximizing the ROI of the freelancer-led approach.
. Build Strong Communication Channels:
You will build entangled personal and professional communication channels simply by being in an office environment with others.
This will be a difficulty for freelancers who want to collaborate. You’ll have to make an effort to communicate with one another if you don’t have any forced time together, not simply when you’re collaborating on a project.
Make it a habit to engage. It will serve as a solid basis. Plan some extra activities, light brainstorming sessions, and set up a meetup (maybe online). Just keep the communication door open for each other and be more accessible.
. Create A Clear And Detailed Project Agreement:
Information exchange is essential for freelancer collaboration. The project will run more smoothly and effectively if both parties are well-informed.
Your marketing team should draught a concise project brief that outlines the project’s requirements. This needs to be explained clearly and thoroughly.
Each party should write a detailed description of how they work, the assistance they require, and any other pertinent information.
If possible, this information will be presented as a signed agreement between the two parties, with the option to make changes after some time has elapsed.
. Trust each other
Trust is scary but, at the same time, crucial for a project’s success. So, trust each other.
It’s natural to be concerned about entrusting critical aspects of your project to a freelancer; your work is an extension of yourself, and you want it to be handled properly.
However, you must have faith in your freelancer’s ability and enable them to delight you with their work.
. Be open and transparent about your projects:
Putting project progress in the spotlight fosters a much-needed sense of responsibility (not to mention urgency). There’s more incentive to keep things moving and respect your teammates’ timetables when initiatives are forward-looking.
This transparency also aids stakeholders in comprehending each individual’s contribution to a project.
Moreover, ascertain that teammates are given the freedom to work on projects that play to their strengths.
Each person is a member of a pre-existing team or department (even if it’s just two people working for an agency).
However, project management software is a game-changer for your teams’ schedules and ensures that work is dispersed evenly (and with the right stakeholders involved).
This leads us to our next point…
. Make use of tech tools that help you collaborate:
When it comes to great freelancer collaboration, technology is on your side. A project management platform will come in handy when you need to outline your goals while tracking every aspect that will help you obtain the results you want.
These platforms also allow you to work from a single calendar while keeping track of every detail till the job is finished. The program also aids with time tracking, ensuring correct invoices.
Some of them allow you to integrate emails for automating tasks. Besides, you can prioritize tasks, manage accessibility, have a meeting from anywhere, and share any information.
Bottom line
Whether there is a pandemic, talent, and working relationships should not be based on proximity!
Consider and form remote working relationships to increase the quality of your collaborations and broaden your circle of resources and possibilities.
Do not hesitate to invest in the tech tools to make freelancers’ collaboration smooth and project management workflow easy.
Remember that a successful freelancer-client relationship is built on mutual trust and respect. It’s impossible to establish the ideal working environment without it.
So, whether you are an agency dealing with freelancers or a freelancer collaborating with another freelancer fellow, focus on improving the communication.
